Cannot insert or edit charts (PPT OSX)

[Sam]

An error msg appears when I try to insert a new Excel
chart into a slide or when trying to edit a chart from,
say, a ppt slide created in Windows. Error is something
like "application not found" or "reinstall application".

One solution I found was to insert a chart indirectly
via "Insert > Object > Chart".

But is there a fix? And how about editing existing charts?

Thanks.

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi Sam,

If you are using OS 9 or earlier try rebuilding the desktop file.

If you are using OSX give Disk Utility First Aid a chance to repair
permissions.

In both cases it is assumed you installed the graph application and Office
updates before attempting the suggested OS repairs.

-Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

All responses should be made to this newsgroup within the same thread.
Thanks.

About Microsoft MVPs:
http://www.mvps.org/

Before posting a "new" topic please be sure to search Google Groups to see
if your question has already been answered.

 

[Sam]

Jim: thanks for your feedback. I tried the Disk Utility First Aid/Permission
Repair but this did not fix the error.

"The server application, source file, or item cannot be found. Check that the
path and file name are correct, or try reinstalling the server application."

This comes up even if I try to insert a chart from the PPT startup screen.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

If you're sure MS Graph is installed and updated, then that doesn't leave
many options.

It's time to uninstall (the uninstaller is on the Office CD) then
re-install, re-update, re-do repair disk permissions.

-Jim

 

[Sam]

reinstallation fixed it. Thanks, Jim!

-----Original Message-----
If you're sure MS Graph is installed and updated, then that doesn't leave
many options.

It's time to uninstall (the uninstaller is on the Office CD) then
re-install, re-update, re-do repair disk permissions.

-Jim




--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP
**Everyone is encouraged to post answers to any unanswered questions
whenever you see one that you know the answer to.

.

 

[rebeccareid]

Jim/Sam - I had exactly the same problem with exactly the same error
message. After seeing your postings I uninstalled / re-installed the
software, verified/repaired permissions and added anything
"Excel-related" from the value pack. I still have the same problem...
I'm working on a PC-created Powerpoint file which I have to finish
tomorrow, but right now I can't work on any of the parts that are
imported Excel charts, and that's about 60% of the work. What's weird
is that there are a couple of other Excel files in there (in a
different format) that I can open without any problem. Help! If anyone
has the slightest suggestion it would be welcome.

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Rebecca was kind enough to forward a presentation that exhibits the problem.
It was caused by graphs that were linked to an Excel workbook on someone
else's computer. Because the source documents were not available, the graphs
could not be edited.

I'm experimenting with several ways to get around this problem. So far a
couple work, but so far there's not a particularly easy way around it. I'll
post again with more info.

-Jim

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Rebecca was kind enough to forward a presentation that exhibits the problem.
It was caused by graphs that were linked to an Excel workbook on someone
else's computer. Because the source documents were not available, the graphs
could not be edited.

I'm experimenting with several ways to get around this problem. So far a
couple work, but so far there's not a particularly easy way around it. I'll
post again with more info.

It's possible to change/break the link from within Graph on the originating
computer. I'm not sure the same's true if you're on a box that doesn't have
the original Excel file.

Worth trying: activate the graph (double click it) then have a look at the
File, Links menu.

 

[Sam]

Hello everyone...I'm back with the same problem as before and similar to
what Rebecca experienced.

Jim/Steve: the issue as well is that doing "Insert/Chart" (ie, creating a chart
from scratch) in PPT results in the same message: "Server application,
source fil or item cannot be found...".

As Jim suggested, I re-installed Office and that solved the problem for the
first few times...but then it no longer worked!

Is there any way we can have MS look into this very fundamental flaw and
get a patch to fix it?

Thanks again for all the support!

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi,

I haven't given up!

There are an incredible number of possibilities. There are actually two
graphing programs the ship with Office: Excel and Microsoft Graph.

You can embed, you can link but not OLE link (according to help, but OLE
linking seems to work anyway), save as .xlc Excel graph files and more.

Various combinations of these technologies seem to fit the bill better in
some situations than others. I'm trying to figure out which scenarios to
suggest for various situations.

-Jim

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi Sam,

The problem you are experiencing is different from Rebecca's.

Something in MacOS may have changed on your system. Insert > Chart tries to
open Microsoft Graph. If you have moved the application, changed a file path
name for the application or done something that would cause MacOS to try to
open something else instead of MS Graph then you'll get the message that the
application could not be found.

Do you alternate between OSX and classic using graphs?

Have you installed anything since this used to work?

Did you try using Disk First Aid to repair permissions?

Did you run Disk Warrior?

For some reason MacOS is not remembering how to find MS Graph on your
system.

-Jim